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This exclusive piece delves into extraordinary interviews and narratives from worldwide.

"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," says Arden Cho, who voiced Rumi in the streaming platform's highly successful movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, 40, recalls her childhood in Texas, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the movie, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her identity as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Being born in America, feeling American but having others view me like a foreigner, trying to figure out my identity as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

These elements were aspects of her formative years that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at different points in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I wanted to be a different person.

"During childhood, what you see influences your development and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just 14 days, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the type that was missing when in her youth.

She notes many individuals of Korean descent have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first instance of their dual heritage and culture.

"I feel like K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," Cho says.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and the actress admits she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to say this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like a gamble," she says.

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to connect with everyone working on the film in person, she adds.

The film was launched against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in many states.

As an person of Asian descent residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Reports have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including adopted children, are among those who could be removed.

As an adult, she came to realise that the prejudice she had experienced when she was younger stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as many were unaware what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in the modern era, when I feel like the world and individuals should know better, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes I feel like there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Because of this, it feels very special, she says, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because we just needed positivity and a unifying element all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a significant worry for the film industry, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to produce a film like the animation.

The actress acknowledges she is aware that AI is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Certainly, I'm sure there will be AI actors and singers. I know they're already here. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I trust the public have some respect and desire for authentic creations."

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its soundtrack appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan creations, and audiences globally are demanding a follow-up.

She reveals she would like to confirm the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the streaming service or the studio, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I know rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I believe everyone in the world would riot if there wasn't."

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